Busting congestion: Fixing our 32 worst traffic corridors

A re-elected Baird Government will commit $300 million to ease congestion on Sydney’s busiest road corridors, reducing travel times for motorists, NSW Premier Mike Baird announced today.

Notorious traffic snarls will be targeted on 32 key road corridors in Sydney including the Cumberland Highway, Parramatta Road, Old Windsor Road, The Kingsway, Campbelltown Road and Hoxton Park Road.

“Sydney’s busiest roads can be gridlocked at any time of the day, any day of the week, costing our economy billions every year,” Mr Baird said.

“If we don’t continue to act congestion will cripple our city.

“We want to make getting from A to B as easy as possible so people are spending less time stuck in traffic and more time with family and friends or at work.

“Rebuilding NSW is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to tackle congestion in Sydney through investment in public transport, major road projects and upgrades to the existing road network.”

Mr Baird said that the plans were part of a broader strategy to deal with congestion in Sydney through record investment in roads and public transport, including:

The 33km WestConnex, the largest road project in Australia;

The 9km NorthConnex, with construction underway;

Widening the M5 West and M2, both of which are now open;

Providing 10,500 additional public transport services per week; and

NSW’s largest ever investment in public transport infrastructure, with the South West Rail Link complete, the North West rail link under construction, and planning for a 60% increase in rail capacity as a result of the Sydney Rapid Transit project.

“Our plan to fix Sydney’s worst roads will ease traffic congestion and cut travel times for motorists by funding hundreds of pinch point projects along these key road corridors,” Mr Baird said.

The NSW Liberals & Nationals will allocate $300 million from Rebuilding NSW to tackle pinch points on the 32 road corridors over the next ten years, beginning in 2015-16.

INSW and Transport for NSW have identified these corridors as priorities to alleviate traffic congestion.

By undertaking works such as improving intersections, road widening and lengthening or widening turn bays, it’s estimated the program will deliver:

Up to 15km/h increases in average travel speeds on links approaching upgraded intersections;

Up to 50% travel time savings on the approach to intersections during peak periods.

Flow on improvements to adjacent intersections; and

Six dollars benefit to the broader economy for every dollar spent.

This is in addition to the $100 million over the next four years that we have set aside to fast track and expand our current pinch point program - not just in Sydney, but across NSW.